Who's Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, Set To Become Iran's Next Supreme Leader

Who's Mojtaba Hosseini?

1. Born in Mashhad in 1969, Mojtaba is the second-eldest son of Ali Khamenei. He has five siblings. He grew up as his father emerged as a prominent cleric opposing Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the former Shah of Iran. The 1979 Islamic Revolution transformed the family's fortunes and embedded them at the heart of the new state. FOLLOW LIVE UPDATES

2. After moving to Tehran, he attended the Alavi High School, known for producing regime insiders, before pursuing religious studies in Qom under conservative clerics. However, despite decades in seminary circles, he has not attained the rank of ayatollah.

3. Constitutionally, the Supreme Leader is expected to hold high religious standing. Mojtaba's clerical rank has therefore been a recurring point of debate among senior clergy.

4. During the Iran-Iraq War, Mojtaba served in the Habib Battalion, forging ties with figures who later rose within Iran's security and intelligence apparatus.

5. Though he has never held elected office or a formal government post, Mojtaba has long been described by insiders as a gatekeeper within the Office of the Supreme Leader - a role often compared to that once played by cleric Ahmad Khomeini for former Iranian Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini.

6. Analysts widely believe his enduring influence stems from close relationships with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a decisive force in Iran's political economy and security policy.

7. In 2019, the United States sanctioned him, alleging that Ali Khamenei had delegated aspects of his authority to his son, who was said to act in an official capacity without public accountability.

8. Reformist politicians and foreign governments have accused him of influencing election processes and backing security crackdowns - claims consistently refuted by Iranian authorities.

9. According to a Bloomberg report, Mojtaba has a sprawling investment network, though his precise net worth remains undisclosed. He managed to build a global property empire and channel funds, reportedly to the tune of billions of dollars, into western markets, the report added.

10. Notably, Ali Khamenei had identified three senior clerics as potential successors, and his son was not among them. Therefore, a father-to-son succession would challenge the Islamic Republic's foundational narrative of rejecting hereditary rule. Whether clerical elites and security factions coalesce around Mojtaba could determine whether his reported selection endures or faces internal resistance.